Check out this excerpt from "Leo Laporte's 2004 Technology Almanac" devoted entirely to the noble pursuit of games and entertainment for PCs, Macs, game consoles, and PDAs.

Megan Morrone

Today you can use the same machine to organize your finances, create a
presentation for your boss, and defend the Earth from flesh-eating aliens. But
let's be honest: Even with the crazy advances in software, organizing your
finances and creating a presentation for your boss are still not half as much
fun as defending the Earth from flesh-eating aliens. That's why we've
devoted the entire month of February to the noble pursuit of games and
entertainment for PCs, Macs, game consoles, and PDAs.

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that you can skip
right over this chapter because you're not a gamer. Gamers are all sweaty,
pimpled, 16-year-old boys who lock themselves in their basements sustained only
by complex carbohydrates and Mountain Dew for days on end, right? Wrong. Video
games aren't just for young boys anymore. Saying you don't like video
games is like saying you don't like ice cream or cheese or television or
fun. Are you trying to tell me that you don't like fun?

If you watch The Screen Savers, you know that each member of our
little TV family has a uniquely different interest in games. Morgan loves a good
frag fest, whereas Martin's tastes tend toward the bizarre (think frogs in
blenders or cow tossing.) Kevin knows how to throw a cutting-edge LAN party,
while Joshua and Roger like to kick back with old-school retro game emulators. I
like to download free and simple low-res games that you can play on even the
dinkiest PC, whereas Patrick prefers to build and rebuild the perfect system for
the ultimate gaming experience (see February 13). And leave it to Leo to
discover the most unique new gaming experience for the consummate early adopter
(see February 1).

This month we review games for all platforms and all personalities, answer
your gaming tech support questions, show you where to find the coolest games
online, and review all the latest gaming peripherals. Morgan even shows you how
you can cheat at Solitaire. Unfortunately, she doesn't tell you why
you'd want to.

From text-based games to high-end virtual-reality 3D graphics, video games
let you use your imagination to do something you could never do or be someone
you could never be. In the following pages, you can learn how to become Zeus, a
caveman, a pirate, or a Jeopardy contestant. You can solve jewel puzzles, drink
beer with aliens, placate camels, kill giant insects, escape from evil monsters
in the mall, and pull goofy-foot ollies off the rooftop of City Hall.

So, do you still think you're not a gamer? Maybe you just haven't
found the right game.

Sunday, February 1: Leo's Pick: The Pyramat PM300

Leo Laporte

Get some comfort to go along with your gaming with the Pyramat PM300 from
Pyramat
(http://www.pyramat.com). The
Pyramat is a futon with speakerspardon me, I mean a high-density foam
reclining system with sound reinforcement.

Relax and Play

The Pyramat contains a three-speaker sound system and 50-watt amplifier in
the headrest, and a handheld wired remote control. When you're ready to
play, unroll it, lie down, and pump up the volume. The PM300 is compatible with
all video-game consoles, computers, DVD players, MP3 players, and anything else
with audio out. Around $150, it's only a little cheaper than my Xbox, but
it's a lot cheaper than the recliner I usually sit in to play video games,
and it sounds a lot better.

The Pyramat PM300 is one gadget I'll take lying down.

Scary Games

Roman Loyola

If you're looking for an interactive (nonhuman) way to get a good
old-fashioned scare, read on:

Fatal Frame (PS2)
(http://www.fatalframe.com).
The scariest thing about Fatal Frame is that it looks like Resident Evil meets
Pokemon Snap. Its scare factor alone is reason enough to play this
game.

Aliens vs. Predator 2 (PC)
(http://avp2.sierra.com).
If you want one of the most entertaining single-player experiences of the year
and some solid and original multiplayer fun, it's right here.

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (GCN)
(http://cube.ign.com). This
M-rated title earns its rating not through gratuitous gore or cheap sex, but by
presenting a story line that's adult-oriented in its complexity and
thought.

Save your quarters for laundry. I have an updated version of the ultimate
Asteroids clone. And get this: It works on Mac (OS 9 or higher), Windows, Linux,
and BeOS.

It's called Maelstron 3.0.5. Ambrosia Software created the original Mac
version (shareware, or $15 to purchase) and allowed Sam Lantinga to port it to
Linux and Windows for a school project.

Download the file, unzip it, and start playing. Use the Tab key to shoot and
the arrow keys to move. If you don't like that setup, press C (or click the
C button) when you start up to configure your controls.